Method and device for packing a solid into a container such as a bottle

ABSTRACT

A bell-shaped element ( 1 ) is placed in a sealed position whereby it rests against the outer wall of the container ( 9   b ) which is full of solid commodities ( 49 ) in order to create a partial vacuum in the inner area ( 11 ) of said bell-shaped element and in the gaseous area of the container. A sealing armature ( 17 ) subsequently places a sealing cap ( 16 ) on top of the opening ( 12 ) of the container. When the vacuum is created, a cleanliness element ( 32 ) rests against the free edge ( 28 ) of the opening ( 28 ) of the container in a position which is sealed by means of a liner ( 36 ). Said cleanliness element ( 32 ) comprises a sieve ( 34 ) which retains solid materials inside the container during suction. The cleanliness element ( 32 ) subsequently retracts on a plane of its own, wiping the free end ( 28 ) of the opening ( 12 ) in order to remove debris and solid particles which could prevent the opening ( 16 ) from being sealed in a desired manner. The invention can be used to vacuum pack solid commodities such as grain, leaves, fruit etc.

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for packing a solid, inparticular a foodstuff into a container such as a bottle.

[0002] The present invention also concerns a device to that effect.

[0003] A more particular subject of the invention is to perfect thepacking of solid foodstuffs in powder, grains or granules, in leaves,fragmented or non-fragmented, or also constituted by berries or fruits,with the aim of better preserving them, in particular with respect totheir aromatic quality.

[0004] The creation of a vacuum or a controlled atmosphere in acontainer above the liquid contained within it, before sealing thecontainer is known from a number of documents, for example FR-A-2 290356, WO-A-94 25 347, FR-A-2 394 452, EP-A-0 022 084, GB-A-2 322 851, andU.S. Pat. No. 4,658,566. In the majority of cases, a bell-shaped elementis placed around the upper region of the container. The free edge of thebell-shaped element carries a sealing element which presses on the outerwall of the container in such a way as to create inside the bell-shapedelement a vacuum chamber which communicates with the interior of thecontainer via its filling opening. Part of the air which it contains isevacuated from the bell-shaped element, and in particular the air foundin the container above the level of the liquid. After creation of thedesired partial vacuum, a sealing device provided in the bell-shapedelement is used to place an appropriate sealing cap over the opening ofthe container. The sealed container is then extracted from thebell-shaped element then taken to the next handling station. During thistime, the sealing device is re-supplied with a new cap and a newcontainer to be sealed is placed in the bell-shaped element.

[0005] Documents U.S. Pat. No. 2,496,877 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,153propose the application of vacuum packing to solid substances such aspowdered coffee. To avoid the powder being aspirated at the same time asthe air during creation of the partial vacuum, a sieve mounted in a ringwhich is applied to the free edge of the neck of the container is placedover the opening of the container. However, it should be noted that, inpractice, solid particles or debris from the filling substance have atendency to rest on the surface of the container which is intended tocreate a seal with the cap. This surface is in principle constituted bythe free peripheral edge of the neck of a container manufactured in theform of bottle. Such debris or particles then have the effect ofpreventing the tight seal of the bottle, or in any case of shorteningthe life expectancy of the seal.

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is more particularly toremedy this specific problem of vacuum packing solids in containers suchas bottles.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, the method forpacking a solid substance, in particular a foodstuff, presented at leastin part in the form of powder, grains, whole or fragmented leaves,berries, small fruits and the like into a container such as a bottle, amethod in which after filling the container, when the container has beenplaced in an enclosure under vacuum, part of the air which is initiallypresent in it is evacuated from this enclosure, and from the containervia its opening, then the container is sealed, characterized in thatafter said evacuation and before said sealing the free edge of theopening is wiped to clear it of any fragments originating in particularfrom said substance.

[0008] This wiping makes it possible to eliminate from the free edgeparticles or other debris that could have settled there either duringfilling or following it.

[0009] It is particularly advantageous to use a protection ring which isplaced on the free edge of the opening during evacuation of the air fromthe enclosure as a means of wiping.

[0010] This protection ring prevents debris or particles from settlingon the free edge of the opening during the suction process.

[0011] After evacuation and before sealing the ring is moved from itsactive position on the free edge of the opening to a retracted positionapproximately situated in the plane of said free edge to carry outwiping.

[0012] Moreover the aforementioned ring can be used as a mount for asieve.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the invention, the device forsealing a container such as a bottle under vacuum, for theimplementation of the method according to the first aspect, comprising:

[0014] a vacuum bell-shaped element combined with a means of suction;

[0015] a support for the container;

[0016] means of relative displacement between the bell-shaped elementand the support between an open position allowing the delivery of a newcontainer to be sealed and a closed position in which a tight enclosureis created in the bell-shaped element communicating with the interior ofthe container via an opening in the container;

[0017] a means of sealing taken into the bell-shaped element oppositethe opening;

[0018] a cleanliness element which is moveable inside the bell-shapedelement between an active position adjacent to the free edge of theopening of the container when the bell-shaped element is in the closedposition, and a retracted position allowing sealing,

[0019] is characterized in that the cleanliness element comprises anelement for wiping the free edge of the opening before sealing.

[0020] The cleanliness element can for example be a wiper similar to acar windscreen wiper, or also preferably, as mentioned above, a ring.Advantageously the ring is found opposite the opening of the containerwhen it is in the process of being attached to the bell-shaped element,and simply comes to bear axially against the free edge of the opening atthe same time as the bell-shaped element reaches the closed position. Inthis way, the ring can press considerably on the free edge without atany time having to “mount” the free edge by a wiping movement which goesfrom the retracted position to the position of contact with the freeedge. The only wiping movement is that which goes from the position ofcontact with the free edge to the retracted position. Wear on the wipingring is thus minimized.

[0021] Other features and advantages of the invention also emerge fromthe description below, which relate to non-limiting examples.

[0022] In the attached drawings:

[0023]FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section of the device according to theinvention, in two successive stages of the implementation of theprocess, represented either side of the axis of the bottle;

[0024]FIG. 2 is a cross section along II-II of FIG. 1;

[0025]FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing the wiping movement,with a cross section of the ring for greater clarity;

[0026]FIG. 4 is a similar view to FIG. 1, but representing the sealingoperation;

[0027]FIG. 5 is a view of a detail of FIG. 1 on a larger scale,illustrating the ability of the ring to cooperate with two bottle sizes.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the device according to the inventioncomprises a bell-shaped element 1, with a vertical axis 2. Thebell-shaped element 1, open at the bottom, has on its circumference nearits free edge an annular seal 3. The axial clamping of seal 3 andconsequently its expansion towards the axis 2 can be adjusted by meansof an adjustable axial compression ring 4 associated with the body 6 ofthe bell-shaped element 1. By means which are not illustrated except bya double vertical arrow 7, the bell-shaped element 1 and the elementsthat it carries, which are yet to be described, are adjustable in heightwith respect to a support 8 for the containers 9 to be vacuum-sealed.

[0029] In the example represented, it is support 8, of which a extremelower position 8 a and an extreme upper position 8 b are represented inFIG. 1, which can be displaced vertically to establish theaforementioned vertical movement according to arrow 7, but it is only aconvenient means of illustration, displacement of the bell-shapedelement 1 with respect to the vertically fixed support 8 is alsoconceivable.

[0030] In position 8 a, where the distance between the bell-shapedelement 1 and the support 8 is at a maximum, the bell-shaped element isin an open situation, and a horizontal relative movement between thebell-shaped element 1 and the support allows a container 9, filled withthe solid goods to be packed, to be placed under the bell-shaped element1 in the position represented where the axis of the container coincideswith axis 2 of the bell-shaped element. By movement according to arrow7, the support 8 can be raised to position 8 b in which seal 3 pressestightly against the outer peripheral wall of the container 9 which inthe represented example is a relatively small glass bottle for exampleabout 10 centimetres high. This tight pressing defines inside thebell-shaped element 1 a vacuum chamber 11 which communicates with theinside of container 9 via the upper filling opening 12 of the latter. Inorder to create the partial vacuum in chamber 11 and in the gaseous areaof container 9, the body 6 of the bell-shaped element 1 comprises anopening 13 connecting with a vacuum source symbolized by arrow 14. Anarrow 10 in the opposite direction illustrates that opening 13 can alsobe used when sealing is finished to eject the sealed container 9 fromthe bell-shaped element 1 and thus overcome, when needed, possibleadherence between the container 9 and the seal 3.

[0031] The vacuum-sealing device moreover comprises a sealing device. Inthe example represented, it concerns a device for placing a screw cap16, by screwing onto an exterior screw thread 15 of the neck of thecontainer 9. The cap or screw cap 16 is preferably metallic and thesealing device comprises inside the bell-shaped element 1 a sealingarmature 17. Before the arrival of a container 9 to be sealed in thebell-shaped element 1, non-represented means, known in themselves,provide the armature 17 with a new cap. The armature 17 comprisespermanent magnets, non-represented, which retain the cap in suspensionabove the opening 12 of the container 9 to be sealed.

[0032] The armature 17 is integral with a shaft 18 that extends towardsthe top via a bore 19 provided axially in the body 6 of the bell-shapedelement and provided with a seal 21. The shaft 18 is supported inrotation relative to the bell-shaped element 1 in sliding bearings 22mounted in a tubular support 23 fixed to the upper face of the body 6around the bore 19. Beyond the tubular support 23, the shaft 18 is fixedto a driving pinion 24 engaged with a drive pinion 26 integral with theshaft of a servomotor 27. In the situation represented in FIG. 1, themoveable assembly constituted by the shaft 18, the armature 17 and thepinion 24 is in a position of readiness where a free area E ismaintained between the armature 17 and the cap 16 on one side, and thefree edge 28 of the opening 12 of the container 9 on the other when thebell-shaped element 1 is in a closed position. Starting from thisposition of readiness, said assembly 18, 17, 24 can be moved along axis2 (arrow 29 in FIG. 1) by a non-represented means such as a verticaljack, to a sealing position represented in FIG. 4. During this movement,the teeth of the driving pinion 24 slide axially with respect to theteeth of drive pinion 26. Then the servomotor 27 is actuated so as toscrew on the cap 16 onto the screw thread 15, while the axial movementfollowing arrow 29 continues because of the axial component of thehelicoidal screwing motion. The axial dimension of the driving pinion 24is envisaged to be sufficiently large for pinions 24 and 26 to remain incontact throughout the axial travel, of the assembly 18, 17, and 24.

[0033] Once sealing has been carried out, assembly 17, 18, 24 isreturned to the position of readiness with a force which causesseparation between the armature 17 and the cap 16 now fixed onto thecontainer 9. The cap used comprises, on the innner face of its bottom, asealing element 31 which at the end of, being screwed on becomes appliedin a tight manner against the free edge 28 of opening 12.

[0034] The device according to the invention comprises moreover acleanliness element 32 comprising a ring 33 serving as a mount for asieve 34 occupying all of the opening area of the ring. The ring 33comprises a rigid body 35 and on its lower face an annular element 36pressing in an approximately tight manner against the free edge 28 ofthe opening 12 of the container 9. As FIGS. 3 and 5 also show, thesealing element 36 is trapped in a recess 37 of the body 35, theperipheral wall of the recess 37 being an undercut with a conicitycorresponding to that of the outer peripheral face of the sealingelement 36. The sieve 34, for example a metallic sieve, is mountedbetween the body 35 and the sealing element 36, and is trapped there dueto the fact that its diameter is greater than that of the circularopening of the body 35 and of the sealing element 36.

[0035] The cleanliness element 32 is moveable between the activeposition represented in FIG. 1 and the retracted position represented inFIG. 2. In the active position, the ring 33 is aligned with axis 2 belowthe armature 17 in a position of readiness, and the sealing element 36is in contact with the free edge 28 when the bell-shaped element is inthe closed position. The aforementioned gap E is sufficient for thecleanliness element 32 to occupy the active position which has just beendescribed and is able to carry out its movement towards the retractedposition. In the retracted position (FIG. 2), the ring 33 is off-centrewith respect to axis 2 whilst being in the same plane perpendicular toaxis 2 as in the active position, and it thus allows the sealing deviceand in particular the armature 17 to cooperate with the neck of thecontainer 9 as represented in FIG. 4.

[0036] For its movement between the active and retracted positions, thecleanliness element 32 comprises an actuating arm 38 integral with thebody 35 and extending radially towards the exterior from thecircumference of the latter. At a distance from the ring 33, the arm 38is integral with rotation to an articulation and actuating shaft 39 thatextends according to an articulation axis 41 parallel to axis 2 and at adistance from it. The arm 38 and its connection to the actuating shaft39 are housed in a casing 42 fixed to the body 6 of the bell-shapedelement 1. The internal space of the casing 42 is part of the vacuumenclosure. The actuating shaft 39 leaves this enclosure via a guide tube43 fixed to the casing 42. The tube 43 defines for shaft 39 a boreequipped with a sealing element 44 and sliding bearings 46. Outside tube43, the actuating shaft 39 is integral with an actuating lever 47intended to be articulated, at a distance from axis 41, with themoveable end of an actuating jack, which is not further represented.

[0037] The actuating shaft 39 can slide with the cleanliness element 32along axis 41 with respect to the bell-shaped element 41. This assembly32 and 39 is returned to an extreme position by a compression spring 48in the direction of the free edge of the bell-shaped element 1. In thepresence of a container 9 when the bell-shaped element 1 is closed, thefree edge 28 of the container pressed on the sealing element 3 gentlypushes the cleanliness element 32 and with it the actuating shaft 39 inan opposite direction to seal 3 with compression of the return spring48, as indicated in FIG. 1 by displacement d.

[0038] The operations of the device and at the same time the processaccording to the invention will now be described.

[0039] While a container 9 a is delivered into a position of co-axialitywith the vertical axis 2 of the device, the armature 17 of the sealingdevice is re-supplied with a new cap 16 by means which are known and notrepresented, while the cleanliness element 32 was in retracted position.Then, during the end of the horizontal delivery of the container 9 aand/or during the start of the vertical movement 7 closing thebell-shaped element 1, the cleanliness element 32 is brought into anactive position (FIG. 1) in such a way that the free edge 28 of opening12 meets the sealing element 36 when the outer side wall of thecontainer 9, reaching position 9 b, makes contact with seal 3 lining thefree edge of the bell-shaped element 1. The vacuum source is thenactivated so as to evacuate the air from the enclosure 11 via opening13. The air contained in container 9 is evacuated via the opening 12 andthe sieve 34, without being able to bypass it thanks to sealing element36. The solid content 49 of the container 9 is prevented from leavingthe container 9 due to the sieve 34 and to the sealing element 36 which,at the same time, prevents any solid particles or debris from settlingon the free edge 28 constituting the future surface of the seal.

[0040] When the desired vacuum (in general of the order of 5×10⁴ Pa) isreached, the actuating jack of shaft 39 is activated so as to move thecleanliness element 32 to the retracted position following a movementthat is illustrated in FIG. 3, in the plane of the free edge 28. Thismovement produces a wiping of the free edge 28 by the sealing element36. In the retracted position represented in solid lines in FIG. 2, thecleanliness element 32 completely clears the free edge 28 and itsimmediate environment to allow, as represented in FIG. 4, the action ofthe sealing device 17, 18 and consequently placeing of the sealing cap16 on the neck of the container 9.

[0041] Then, atmospheric pressure or optionally a slight overpressure todisplace the capped container is reestablished in space 11, thenmovement 7 is carried out in the direction of the opening of thebell-shaped element 1 whilst the moveable assembly 17, 18, 24 of thesealing device returns to the position of readiness represented inFIG. 1. The armature 17 is provided with a new cap 16 for the nextcontainer to be sealed and the described cycle recommences.

[0042] The body 35 of the ring 33 and the arm 38 of which it is anintegral part can be produced in metal. The sieve 34 is preferablyconstituted by a metallic sieve with a transversal pore size equal toapproximately 100 to 500, preferably approximately 250 μm. The sealingand pressing element 36 can be produced for example in foam or rubber.Foam is preferred in order to avoid the risk of adherence on the freeedge 28 of the container.

[0043] It is advantageous that, as represented in FIG. 5, the radialwidth of the sealing element 36 is sufficient to be compatible with atleast two types of different containers, distinguished by differentdiameters D1 and D2 of their free edge 28.

[0044]FIG. 2 illustrates the angular travel of the cleanliness element32 which can typically be of the order of 60°.

[0045] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples describedand represented.

[0046] In an embodiment where the function of wiping is the only onesought, a long wiper passing from one side to the other of the openingof the container could be used, sweeping all of the free edge aftercreation of the vacuum and before fitting the cap.

[0047] In another embodiment where it is sought above all to avoiddepositing debris on the seal surface, a ring can simply be placed overit, during the creation of the vacuum, which is then moved away by amovement moving away from the plane of the free edge, precisely in orderto avoid the wiping movement and the wear by rubbing which would resultfrom it in a manner which in this case would be pointless.

[0048] And if only sieving is required it is sufficient to place agrille approximately against the free edge of the opening but withoutparticular means sealing the edge of the opening, if only an approximateretention of the solid elements inside the container is thought to besufficient.

[0049] The seal such as 3 could be replaced by an expandable seal.

[0050] Instead of permanent magnets, the armature such as 17 cancomprise another means of gripping a cap to be placed on the container,for example mechanical means.

1- Method for packing into a container (9) such as a bottle, a solidsubstance (49), in particular a foodstuff, presented at least in part inthe form of powder, grains, whole or fragmented leaves, berries, smallfruits and the like, process in which after filling the container, whenthe container has been placed in an enclosure under vacuum, a part ofthe air which is initially present is evacuated from this enclosure, andfrom the container via an opening (12) of it, then the container issealed, characterized in that after said evacuation and before saidsealing the free edge (28) of the opening is wiped so as to clear awayany fragment or debris originating in particular from said substance. 2-Process according to claim 1, characterized in that a protection ring(33) is placed in the active position on the free edge (27) of theopening during evacuation, and in that after evacuation and beforesealing, the ring (33) is moved from the active position on the freeedge of the opening (12) to a retracted position, by a movement in theplane of the free edge (28) of the opening (12) to ensure said wiping ofthe free edge. 3- Method according to claim 2, characterized in that thering (33) that is placed on the free edge serves as a mount for a sieve(34) through which the air contained in the container is evacuated. 4-Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that after sealingthe container (9) and opening the enclosure (11) the ring (33) isreturned to the active position for delivery of the next container. 5-Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that a force(48) is exerted on the ring directed towards the bottle when the ring isin the active position and during wiping. 6- Method according to one ofclaims 1 to 5, characterized in that the wiping movement is produced byrotation around an axis (41) moved off centre relative to the containerand approximately parallel to a central axis (2) of the container (9).7- Device for sealing a container (9) such as a bottle under vacuum, forthe implementation of the process according to one of claims 1 to 6,comprising: a vacuum bell-shaped element (1) combined with a means ofsuction (13, 14); a support (8) for the container (9); means of relativedisplacement (7) between the bell-shaped element (1) and the support (8)between an open position allowing the delivery of a new container to besealed and a closed position in which a sealed and enclosure (11) iscreated in the bell-shaped element communicating with the interior ofthe container (9) via an opening (12) in the container; a means ofsealing (17) taken into the bell-shaped element opposite the opening, acleanliness element (32) which is moveable inside the bell-shapedelement between an active position adjacent to the free edge (28) of theopening (12) of the container (9) when the bell-shaped element (1) is inthe closed position, and a retracted position allowing sealing,characterized in that the cleanliness element (32) comprises an element(36) for wiping the free edge (28) of the opening (12) before sealing.8- Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the wiping elementcomprises a ring (33) provided with a circular element (36) which is incontact with the free edge (28) when the cleanliness element (32) is inthe active position and which wipes the free edge (28) during passage tothe retracted position. 9- Device according to claim 17 or 18,characterized in that the circular element (36) has a sufficient radialdimension to fit over at least two diameters (D1, D2) of differentopenings. 10- Device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that asieve (34) is mounted in the ring (33). 11- Device according to claim10, characterized in that the sieve (34) has pores of approximately 100to 500 μm. 12- Device according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterizedin that it comprises an elastic means (48) ensuring between the ring(33) and the bell-shaped element (1) elastic movement following thedirection (7) of movement of the bell-shaped element (1) between itsopen and closed positions, in such a way that the ring (33) is pulledtowards the open edge of the bell-shaped element (1). 13- Deviceaccording to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that thecleanliness element (32) comprises an arm (38) extending radiallytowards the exterior from the ring (33) and articulated relative to thebell-shaped element (1) following an axis (41) approximatelyperpendicular to the plane of the free edge (28) of the opening (12).